Croatia’s wonderful mix of cultures, from the ancient Greeks to the Romans, Venetians, Austrians, Hungarians and Italians, has left a rich legacy throughout the country. You’ll see this in the Venetian architecture of Rovinj, Korčula, Dubrovnik and Hvar, the Habsburg townhouses of Zagreb and Opatija, and the ancient Roman ruins of Istria and Dalmatia. You will taste delicious cuisines where the Adriatic and Central Europe meet and merge.
You’ll hear it when top artists bring their magic to the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Split Summer Festival, and the baroque music festivals of Korčula and Varaždin. Sultry Dalmatian summer nights echo the sounds of polyphonic klapa singers, whose a cappella music makes you shiver. Held every July in the beautiful Dalmatian coastal town of Omiš, the klapa festival is one of the unmissable events of the summer.
Croatia’s 10 Unesco world heritage sites, eight of which are cultural, offer you a tantalizing taste of the country’s heritage. Dubrovnik is the biggest attraction; Its pedestrianized old town is a region full of marble streets, Renaissance and baroque palaces, and 14th-century monasteries; all surrounded by magnificent medieval and Renaissance walls. Game of Thrones fans will immediately spot several locations from the series: the Minčeta Tower on the city walls, the massive 15th-century Lovrijenac Castle just outside the walls (where Shakespeare plays are performed in the summer months), and the vast expanse of the city. The Jesuit Steps, where the famous walk of shame scene in the series took place.
The elegant stone atrium of the 15th-century Rectorate Palace also serves as an atmospheric setting for classical concerts. Get a crash course in Dubrovnik’s past by visiting the Cultural History Museum. Just outside the walls is Lazareti, built as quarantine quarters in the 14th century but now the cultural center of the city, where you can watch folklore performances by the Linđo Folklore Society.
Dubrovnik hosts amazing festivals; begins the year with the celebration of the patron saint at the St Blaise Festival in February; parades, parades and banquets with extremely rich and meaty food are offered. šporki pastauli pasta. This gets everyone in the lively carnival mood ahead of Lent later in the month. As harvest season approaches, the Good Food Festival in October takes over Dubrovnik’s main street, Stradun, with communal lunches and chefs’ workshops. One delicacy you won’t want to miss is the deliciously sweet Ston oysters from the village of Mali Ston on the nearby Pelješac peninsula.
Split, Croatia’s second largest city, has one of the more unusual Roman ruins, Diocletian’s Palace, built in the 3rd century AD and whose Unesco-listed ruins were colonized centuries ago and now brim with cafes, shops and restaurants among elegant columns and arches. and vaulted cellars. After wandering along the Riva waterfront and stopping for a coffee at one of the lovely cafe terraces, head to the west side of Split to look at the magnificent artworks at the Meštrović Gallery, which displays the works of Croatia’s best-known sculptor Ivan Meštrović. It is exhibited in the old summer palace overlooking the sea.
Trogir, an island town close to Split airport, is one of Croatia’s most charming cities. Connected to the mainland by a bridge, its Unesco-listed old town boasts a wealth of well-preserved Romanesque, Renaissance and baroque architecture, much of which bears the mark of Venice. There’s more Venetian splendor further up the coast at Šibenik, one of the few Dalmatian cities founded solely by Croats. So, although there is no trace of an ancient Greek or Roman settlement, you are treated to awe-inspiring views of the Gothic Renaissance Cathedral of St James and its magnificent barrel-shaped roof. Walk to the top of the city to the medieval St Michael’s Castle for spectacular Adriatic views and, in summer, concerts and plays at the open-air theatre.
For a vivid snapshot of Croatia’s history, head north towards Zadar. On the same square in Zadar’s old town, you can see the ruins of the ancient Roman Forum, the Byzantine Church of St Donatus, the 12th-century Cathedral of St Anastasia and a Benedictine monastery founded in the 11th century.
On the northernmost coast of Croatia lies the heart-shaped Istria, where culture and cuisine come together in a successful combination. Venice’s coastal resorts of Rovinj and Poreč are breathtaking, with charming old towns of narrow marble streets and colorful townhouses set on their own little peninsula. Pula amphitheater, one of the best-preserved Roman arenas in the world, dates back to B.C. It was built between 27 and 68 AD and hosts open-air concerts as well as screenings during the Pula Film Festival held in July.
Some of Croatia’s tastiest mussels and oysters are harvested in Istria’s Lim Canal, while if you head inland to the medieval hilltop villages of Motovun, Buzet and Livade, you’ll find truffles star in the cuisine and are celebrated at autumn festivals. Combined with Istria’s award-winning olive oil and wineries, you’ll get a real taste of Croatia.
Learn more by visiting croatia.hr